What’s the key to making Twitter actually do something for you, your cause, or your business? I’m sure there are a number of blogs that have host of great “to do” lists, or the absoulte do’s and don’ts about this amazing tool. It would probably be a good idea to study them before making any snap judgements on what is the right way to maximize the impact of posting in 140 characters or less.

Currently I have the privilege of caring for and managing a couple of Twitter accounts:
@dunlopDEV - my consulting firm, dunlop|DEVELOPMENT
@jdunlop - I use this for just being a wise guy…venting occasionally…but mostly just being a wise guy…which is really how Twitter started.  True story.
@bigdsignature - this one is for the job that actually pays me for the work I do.
@teamjacksonhole - a non-profit cycling team that rides and races to bring attention and benefit other non-profit organizations.
@usgbcwyoming - a non-profit in Wyoming that I spend lots ‘o time with (currently the Vice-Chair and Communications Chair).
@usgbcmontana - a non-profit in Montana that should have started their own account, but didn’t…so I did.
@usgbctrichapter - another non-profit group comprising of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming’s USGBC Chapters.  I call it the MEGA CHAPTER.
@teamgazelle - a racing team of friends that really, really love quoting lines from Nacho Libre at 3am during endurance races.  We have masks.  And capes.

All of these accounts have a purpose.  Some of which are more noble than others – but noble all the same.  And over the course of three years of playing around and seeing what makes Twitter tick, I’ve come to find that there’s a trick that works for me in building an actual follower-ship…and it’s this: there is no trick.  As soon as you think there is and you try to implement said trick(s), you might as well forget it.   Tricks are easy to spot in the Twitterverse.  You get a “used car salesman” (with all due respect) vibe from the 140 characters you’re seeing and in a micro second judgement the human will skip clicking on the glorious follow button and continue on.  But, if those 140 characters capture one’s attention – or if your cause is recognizable or noble enough – the button gets clicked and you have another electronic notch in your follower-ship belt.

Often people ask how Twitter could possibly be useful in business, accompanied with that sarcastic tone that is typical to comments made about “that Facebook thing”.  When building my network on @bigdsignature, I found a group in Park City that was involved in interior finishes and furnishing – Alder  & Tweed (@aldertandtweed).  So…I read through a few posts, liked what I saw, and I followed them.  A few days later, I got a public reply from them asking if I’d like to go to lunch at the newly opened Montage at Empire Pass.  Long story, short – our two companies have been strategically working together for a few months, assisting one another in networking in Park City and have had a number of small, but impacting successes since that single micro-second decision to click on the follow button.

I’d love to hear what other people have seen be successful with Twitter, and what makes you click on the follow button.